1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the problems of programming a projectile during passage through the barrel and/or passage through the muzzle brake. The associated device is suitable, moreover, for a V0 measurement and, to round out the whole, is also suitable for transmitting energy to the projectile.
2. Description of the Background Art
For programmable ammunition, information must be communicated to the projectile—which is to say programmed into it—concerning its detonation time and/or flight path. In systems in which the detonation time is calculated from the measured muzzle velocity V0, the information can be relayed no earlier than at the muzzle and/or in flight. If the programming takes place prior to exit from the gun barrel, as a general rule the projectile flies past a programming unit at the muzzle velocity V0 and thus is in motion relative to the programming unit.
A known programming unit is described in CH 691 143 A5. With the aid of a transmitting coil, the information is transmitted inductively via a matching coil in/on the projectile. This programming unit has a heavy construction, which can adversely affect the gun on account of the mass and the torque. At the same time, an unshielded transmitting coil of the programming unit can result in unwanted radiation, since the coil also acts as an antenna. The radiated signal can be detected, and conclusions concerning the location of the gun can be drawn therefrom.
A method is known from WO 2009/085064 A2 in which the programming is undertaken by the transmission of light beams. To this end, the projectile has optical sensors on its circumference.
DE 10 2009 024 508.1, which corresponds to US 20100308152, and which is incorporated herein by reference, concerns a method for correcting the trajectory of a round of terminal phase-guided ammunition, specifically with the projectile imprinting of such projectiles or ammunition in the medium caliber range. It is proposed therein to separately communicate with each individual projectile after a firing burst (continuous fire, rapid individual fire) and in doing so to transmit additional information regarding the direction of the earth's magnetic field for the individual projectile. The projectile imprinting takes place using the principle of beam-riding guidance of projectiles. In this process, each projectile reads only the guide beam intended for that projectile, and can determine its absolute roll attitude in space using additional information, in order to thus achieve the correct triggering of the correction pulse.
Alternative transmission possibilities, for example by means of microwave transmitters, are known to those skilled in the art from EP 1 726 911 A1, which corresponds to US 20070074625, and among other sources.
While programming during flight is indeed technically possible as a result, it nevertheless is also subject to simple interference.